R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Jai’Len Josey, Rozzzqween, Icewear Vezzo & More

For the latest taste of her forthcoming Serial Lover debut album, which will be executive-produced by five-time Grammy winner Tricky Stewart, Jai’Len Josey tapped into the warm acoustic guitar of mid-late 00s pop-facing R&B ballads. Out now via Def Jam, the evocative new single finds the Atlanta-based singer-songwriter-producer and former Broaway star parsing through the hurt and shame of unrequited love. “If you don’t want to be here, I won’t force you to love me,” she sings in the refrain, her tone pairing well with the delicate strings, ethereal guitar and lush background vocal arrangements that ground the track. — KYLE DENIS

Co-written and co-produced by Rozzzqween (born Roselyn Mugabe) and Ilya Borodulin, “Family Ties” drapes raw vulnerability in sleek, moody production. The pulsing bassline helps the haunting reflection on inherited habits, generational pain, and the struggle to break free from cycles of addiction. Rozzzqween’s voice moves between confession and confrontation: “My daddy drinks and so do I,” she repeats, turning the phrase into both a curse and a confession. Lines like “Malbec in my backpack” and “Air Force 1’s cocaine whites” pair elegance with escapism, revealing how cycles of addiction often hide beneath aesthetic calm. It’s a sobering yet beautifully composed reflection on what we inherit, and what we choose to break. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON

Smartly timed to Halloween, Saint Harison’s new single tackles the uniquely spooky sensation of being ghosted — and being somewhat okay with that. A remarkably soulful number produced by Akeel Henry and John Fellner, “Ghosted” finds the Southampton singer-songwriter working through his frustrations with a lover who seems to only know how to make things difficult. “If it’s so hard just loving me, I’d much rather you ghosted me,” he croons in the chorus, his fluttery falsetto and always-impressive agility helping him weave through each phrase with the finesse of a star fighter. — K.D.

BJRNCK stakes her claim with unapologetic confidence, backed by production from Slikk Muzik, Tiggi and Nico Baran that blends punchy trap percussion with shimmering piano accents. Co-written with several collaborators, “AGLM” pairs her assertive melodies with lyrics that double as a manifesto for self-worth: from “buss down Cartier” to a penthouse view, every indulgent image is a symbol of empowerment. The repeated line “You said you was okay wit’ it” cuts through the luxury flex, highlighting the tension between promises and follow-through, while BJRNCK’s delivery balances grit with poise. It’s a statement that demands attention, an anthem for anyone who refuses to settle and knows exactly what they deserve. — C.C.

Icewear Vezzo spent the last year recentering himself. After indulging in the lavishness of rap life, Vezzo found what he was yearning for back at home, with his wife and family. The Detroit native delivered his lean-splashed Purple Passion project last week, which finds him trading bars with ATL’s 2 Chainz on standout “Status.” Booming drums mixed with starry production serve as a cinematic canvas for the pair of veterans to paint a masterpiece: “I been quiet for some time and that was damage time/ I never jump right into nothing, I like to strategize/ From lean house to juice bars, I built an enterprise,” Vezzo raps. — MICHAEL SAPONARA